Right To Know Requests

Under the 2009 law it is the Township’s burden to establish that a document is not a public record.

Any form, including letters, memos, plans, video tapes, charts, and electronic records.

Yes. That does not mean there is wholesale release of e-mail records. It means that an e-mail, like any other record, goes through the same analysis to determine whether it is a public record.

No. The law states that a state or local agency cannot limit the number of records which may be requested or made available for inspection or duplication. However, citizens should use good judgment in seeking records from the public body and not use this law to harass or overburden a public body from performing its job. Also, a public body can deny repeated requests for the same records by the same requester.

Yes. However, if a person wishes to take advantage of the appeal process, the request must be in writing and on an approved form. Upper Dublin intends that all requests for records that are not obviously public records be made in writing on the Township’s official form, which is available on-line, so that appropriate tracking of the Township’s responses can be maintained. The Township is also required to accept a request form generated by the Pennsylvania Open Records Office.

No. Requests for Township records must be made in writing and on an approved form.

• Agreements
• Agency decisions
• Contracts
• Grant Applications
• Name, title, salary of public employees and officials
• Records of dealings between the Township and contractors
• All correspondence and communications not dealing with decisional matters
• Summaries of police activities (police “blotter”)

• Social Security numbers
• Drivers license numbers
• Employee numbers
• Home, cellular or personal phone numbers
• Personal financial information
• Spouse’s name, marital status, beneficiary or dependent information
• Home addresses of law enforcement and judges
• Identity of confidential informants
• Autopsy reports – except that name, cause and manner of death, which are public
• Records that identify social service recipients, including welfare recipients
• A minor’s name, home address, date of birth
• Constituent requests
• Library circulation cards
• Pre-decisional deliberations
• Criminal and non-criminal investigation reports

Yes. All records in the possession of any agency are covered even if they are decades old.

No. The law prohibits a public body from requiring a person “to disclose the purpose or motive in requesting access to records.”

No. Any legal resident of the United States can request a record, including a person with a green card.

Yes. However, the law states that the PA Office of Open Records establishes the fees for duplication. Fees for Township records are set forth in the Open Records Policy.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. Its mission is to enforce the Right-to-Know law and to serve as a resource to citizens, public officials and members of the media.

Yes, a citizen can appeal directly to the state Office of Open Records for most requests. It will assign an appeal officer who will review the request and the Township’s response and make a decision as to whether the Township acted properly. See "Appeals" above for detailed information on general record appeals and criminal investigative record appeals.

“Ensuring open and honest government is a bedrock principle of democracy. It can only be attained through the unfettered exchange of information between citizens and their government. A citizen’s right-to-know, sometimes known as freedom of information, fosters accountability, prevents abuses of power and promotes trust in government.”